Etihad Airways's first direct flight from Abu Dhabi to Atlanta has taken off, making the US city the airline's fifth destination from Abu Dhabi.
Flight EY13 took off from Zayed International Airport at 9.20am local time on Thursday, landing at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at 4.20pm local time.
The flight is serviced by Etihad’s Airbus A350-1000, a fuel-efficient, environmentally advanced aircraft offering a quieter ride. There are 327 economy seats, each with 13-inch touch screens and bluetooth headset pairing. Each of the 44 business class seats feature a sliding door for suite-like privacy, 18.5-inch TV screens, noise-cancelling headphones and seats that convert into a fully flat bed of 79 inches in length.
The Atlanta route will initially be served four times a week – on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays – with daily flights set to be launched by November, Etihad said.
“Atlanta is a dynamic city with deep cultural, economic and aviation significance,” said Etihad Airways chief executive Antonoaldo Neves.
“This new service enhances access to the southeastern United States while offering seamless connections across the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Asia.
“With US pre-clearance at Zayed International Airport, guests can enjoy the convenience of arriving in Atlanta as domestic travellers.”
Zayed International Airport is the only airport in the Middle East that offers pre-clearance facilities to travellers flying to the US. These allow travellers to enter the US as domestic passengers, having cleared international immigration before leaving the UAE.
Atlanta is Etihad's fifth US destination, joining New York City, Chicago, Washington DC and Boston. The Atlanta route is the first of 10 new direct rotes announced in November last year. Other destinations are in Asia and Africa.
Flights to Taipei in northern Taiwan will start in September, followed by new routes to Medan, Phnom Penh and Krabi in October and Tunis, Chiang Mai, Hong Kong, Hanoi and Algiers in November. Tickets for each destination are already on sale.
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